How to Disable Auto Brightness on Apple Watch to Fix Dark Screen Problems

Ever since I got my Apple Watch, there has always been an issue with the screen brightness. I should clarify this is a bad user experience with good intention. The brightness on my watch’s screen works fine when it’s outside with a lot of sunlight. But when I return indoor, the screen readjust itself, and the brightness would dim down.

After my visit with the Genius Bar, I’ve found out the cause and a partial solution.

Does the Apple Watch Have Auto Brightness?

Of course. You might not be able to find the setting for it, but the Apple Watch does have an ambient light sensor inside it. This allows the watch screen to adjust its brightness automatically based on the lighting it surrounded in.

Adjusting your screen brightness

Before we do anything, let’s make sure that you’ve maxed the brightness of your Apple Watch. To do so:

From your iPhone, open the Watch app

Go to My Watch > Brightness & Text Size

Use the slider to adjust it according to your needs

You can also config this from the Settings app on the watch.

Still not working?

If you have already done so and the Apple Watch screen still doesn’t seem dazzling especially in the dark environment, there is a little trick to fix this issue.

As soon as your Apple Watch screen starts to dim down:

Take out your iPhone

Open Control Center and enable Flashlight

Point the light directly at your watch screen

This will get the watch to its full brightness setting in a dark room or places with lack of light.

The point of having auto brightness or should I say ambient light sensor on your Apple Watch is to preserve battery. We all know there is still room for improvement when it comes to longer usage. If you want some tips on how to save the battery life of your watch, check this guide.